An Introduction to Youth Soccer
US Youth Soccer provides a healthy activity through its recreational and small sided games
programs. These programs emphasize FUN, and de-emphasize winning at all costs. Every child is
guaranteed playing time and the game is taught in a fun and enjoyable atmosphere.
For the player with advanced skills and greater ambition, highly competitive leagues are offered.
This player might have his or her sights set on a college soccer scholarship or playing for the U.S.
Olympic or National teams.
US Youth Soccer is the largest member of the United Stated Soccer Federation, the governing
body for soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer is a nationwide body of over 600,000
volunteers and administrators, and over 300,000 dedicated coaches, most of who also are
volunteers. US Youth Soccer registers over 3,000,000 youth players between the ages of five and
nineteen. US Youth Soccer is made up of 55 member State Associations; one in each state, and
two in California, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
US Youth Soccer is non-profit and educational organization whose mission is to foster the
physical, mental and emotional growth and development of America's youth through the sport of
soccer at all levels of age and competition. Our job is also to make it fun, and instill in young
players a lifelong passion for the sport.
The Parent’s Guide to Youth Soccer is designed to
provide a tool to assist parents new to the game
of soccer to grow the spirit without limiting the
child.
US Youth Soccer Coaching Committee and Coaching Education Department
©2005 US Youth Soccer Association, Inc.
Introduction to Youth Soccer
I just signed my child up for soccer! Now what do I do?
I don’t know anything about this game.
I know that a lot of kids play it and love it. I know they use a white ball
with some designs on it, that looks like a basketball. but rolls on the
ground.
Relax and Prepare for FUN!
Kids love soccer because it is FUN!
• From an early age, every child loves to play with a ball. Soccer is just playing
with the ball, except with others and with a few simple rules. Soccer is having
FUN!
• The rules at the basic level are: the ball is shared with your teammates; the ball
is kept away from your opponents; everyone has to "play nice;“ every child gets
their time with the ball and everyone has FUN!
Basic equipment for soccer parents
• Comfortable lawn chair – comfort is important because you are going to be
spending a lot of the time sitting in that chair watching youth soccer players
having FUN!
• Comfortable clothing – you will out in the sun, the rain, the heat and the cold.
Dress to be comfortable so you can sit in that chair and watch youth soccer
players having FUN!
• A sense of humor and joy at watching youth soccer players have FUN!
"Real SOCCER... equals 2 Feet + 1 Ball - The rest is your... Imagination”
How to Be Supportive Soccer Parents
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Give consistent encouragement and support to their children regardless of
the degree of success, the level of skill or time on the field.
Stress the importance of respect for coaches through discussions with their
children, and highlight the critical nature of contributing to the team and its
success.
Serve as role models, see the “big picture” and support all programs and all
players.
Leave coaching to coaches and do not criticize coaching strategies or team
performance.
Avoid putting pressure on children about playing time and performance.
Sports Done Right TM The Maine Center for Sport and Coaching
Why Do Players Play?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
To
To
To
To
To
To
have fun
be with their friends
make new friends
improve and learn
feel good
wear the stuff
“Make sure she knows that you are there because it is fun for you to watch her participate,
not because you want to criticize.”
Caroline Silby, PH.D, Author of Games Girls Play: Understanding
and Guiding Young Female Athletes
Six Guidelines for Soccer Parents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Cheer
Relax and Let Them Play
Yelling Directions = Distraction
Remember, They Are Your Genes
Have Reasonable Expectations
Meet with the Coaches
Have you ever seen a truly gifted player sitting on the bench on any team unless the game was out of reach
or the player was injured or winded?
Aicinena, 124
The greatest gift that you can give to your children throughout their sporting involvement is support. When
asked what it is that they would most like from their parents in terms of support, most children suggest
encouragement and acceptance of their choices.
Australian Sports Commission
Why Do Players Quit?
1.
Criticism and yelling
2.
No playing time
3.
Over emphasis on winning
4.
Poor communication
5.
Fear of making mistakes
6.
Boredom
7.
Not learning
“Adult spectators, coaches and league administrators are guests at the children’s games. We are guests
because if no adult attended, our hosts, the children, could still have a game.”
Douglas E. Abrams, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law
Four Red Flags for Parents
1.
2.
3.
4.
Living Out Dreams - A parent who is continuing to live personal athletic
dreams through his/her child has not released his/her child to the game.
Too Involved - If a parent tends to share in the credit when the child has done
well in sport or has been victorious, the parent is too involved.
Trying Too Hard - If a parent is trying to continue to coach his child when the
child probably knows more about the game than the parent does, he has not
released the youth athlete.
Too Serious - A parent should realize that he is taking everything too seriously
and has not released the child to the activity when the parent:
– is nervous before his/her child’s game.
– has a difficult time bouncing back when the player’s team suffers a
defeat.
– makes mental notes during a game so he can give his/her child advice at
the conclusion of the game.
– becomes verbally critical of an official.
“Teaching Character through Sport: Developing a Positive Coaching Legacy”
Bruce Brown
How Do I Start?
Find out why YOUR child wants to play soccer! Ask the real questions
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Why do YOU want to play soccer?
What is fun about soccer for YOU?
What do YOU like to hear from ME before, during and after YOUR GAMES?
“Everyone forgets today’s score before the end of the season, but decades later the children still
remember the adults whose affection and support remained steadfast regardless of the scoreboard.”
Abrams, 2002
Meeting Your Child’s Needs
Once you have asked the questions, LISTEN to the answer and learn…
–
Shape your support to meet your child’s expressed desires; make his/her dreams
come true.
–
Ask yourself “What can I do to assist my child in being successful in meeting
his/her goals for participation in soccer?“
92% of student-athletes believe participating in sports helps them to be a better person.
97% of student-athletes say the main reason they play sports is because it is fun and exciting.
“The Athletes Speak Survey 2002-2004,” a survey of pilot projects conducted by the National Center for
Student Aspirations involving Maine and Massachusetts student athletes.
Four Emotional Needs of Players
Children have four basic emotional needs in organized sports
1. To play without unhealthy pressure to win imposed by parents and
coaches
2. To be treated like children, not miniature professionals
3. Adult role models whose sportsmanlike behavior helps make participation
fun
4. To play without adult-imposed pressure for financial gain inspired by
professional or big-time collegiate sports
Douglas E. Abrams; Villanova Sports Journal, 2002
Being a Good Soccer Parent
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Encourage your child, regardless of his or her degree of success or level of skill.
Ensure a balance in your student athlete’s life, encouraging participation in
multiple sports and activities while placing academics first.
Emphasize enjoyment, development of skills and team play as the cornerstones
of your child’s early sports experiences.
Leave coaching to coaches and avoid placing too much pressure on your
youngster about playing time and performance.
Be realistic about your child’s future in sports, recognizing that only a select
few earn a college scholarship, compete in the Olympics or sign a professional
contract.
Be there when your child looks to the sidelines for a positive role model.
Sports Done Right
TM
The Maine Center for Sport and Coaching
Athletic participation must be healthful, positive and safe for everyone involved, conducted in an
environment that teaches values and ethics, strengthens the community, promotes competition
without conflict and enriches the lives of the athletes.
What Can I Expect?
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Children differ greatly due to age, gender and maturity
Soccer is “the game for all kids” and that means there will be all types of kids
playing together
Most volunteer directed programs are conducted by parents and coaches who
know they will be involved for only a few years while their own children are
involved
85% of volunteer directed youth sports are coached by parents with a child
on the team
Women coach only 20% of the 5 to 14 year-olds on non-school-affiliated
teams
Less than 10% of the volunteer coaches in the United States have had any
type of coaching education
Parents love their children and want the best for them. Parents should focus on their child’s potential
rather than on an assumption of superiority. Parents should help their child to become what they can be,
not fail at becoming something they are incapable of becoming.
Aicinena, 125
You WILL Be Surprised?
•
Young players cry immediately when something is hurt. Some cry even when
something is not hurt
•
Somebody will come off the field in need of a toilet. Somebody will stay on the
field in need of a toilet (U8)
•
A model rocket that is launched from a nearby field will get 99% of the
players’ attention
•
Some players will wear their uniform to bed, to school and everywhere else
•
A player will forget to go on the field, another will forget to go off
•
Players will still stop and laugh if the referee gets hit in the backside with the
ball during a game – they are not competing, they are having fun
•
If you drive some one else’s child to a game, he/she may not remember after
the game to look for you to get home
“Most children play to have fun and be with their friends. They do not play to entertain the
adults, boost the adults’ egos or improve the family’s social status in the community.”
Abrams, 2002
What Does My Player Need?
1.
BALL - Each child should have his or her own age appropriate ball and bring it to
team practice.
2.
SHIN GUARDS - An absolute requirement for games, should also be worn for all
practices, the pull-on "legging" type with foam padding protecting the front of
the leg from ankle to shin.
3.
SOCCER SHOES - Recommended, but not required by most clubs. Soccer cleats
for most recreational play must be rubber or molded plastic (no metal cleats),
and no less than 3/8 inch in diameter. Baseball or football type shoes with
square or rectangular cleats are not legal for soccer.
4.
WATER BOTTLE (with child's name on it) - Fresh water should be available to
your child at each practice and game.
5.
SHIRTS, SOCKS, SHORTS - One or more of these items may be provided for each
player by your local club. Be sure you are aware of your club's policies for games
and practices
What Is a “Practice”?
Warm-up
• Enthusiastically sets the tone for fun.
• The warm-up prepares the mind and body for upcoming activities.
• Young players need very little stretching, but it is a good habit for them to
begin at an early age.
• Warm-ups encourage each player to uses a ball and often incorporate games
and exercises that emphasize a lot of touches and dribbling
Individual Activities
• Fun filled activities that emphasize technical development. Remember this is
the discovery age. Lots of ball contacts.
• Activities are appropriate for the skills and ages of the players.
• The coach should be conducting a number of short and different activities.
• Remember a child's attention span is limited.
What Is a “Practice”? (cont.)
Group Activities
• Group games are an extension of the individual activity.
• Groups are small to allow for the most ball contact and players are involved in
the game as much as possible, so they are not standing around in lines
awaiting their turn.
"The Game"
• Designed to familiarize the players with the varying aspects of the game. Kids
want to play and have fun. After a brief explanation and/or demonstration
quickly get the players playing.
• Small-sided games (e.g. 4 v 4) to help keep everyone involved. Activities are
organized to progress into controlled scrimmages and then into an open
scrimmage.
• Remember, the kids signed up to play soccer!
“With few exceptions, parents can be invaluable allies if they really know that a coach’s first
priority is the health, safety and development of their child.”
Robert Cobb, University of Maine
Teaching Sportsmanship
Here are six things you can do to show your child (and other parents) what being "a
good sport" means:
•
Cheer for all the children, even those on the other team What a surprising
difference it can make on the sidelines and in the stands when parents make
an effort to applaud a good effort or a fine play - no matter whom makes it.
•
Talk to parents of the other team: They are not the enemy.
•
Be a parent, not a coach: resist the urge to critique Children dread their
parent going over their performance in detail, pointing out all their mistakes.
Sometimes just being there shows your children what being a good parent is
all about. Leave the coaching to the coaches: this includes motivating,
psyching your child for practice, after game critiquing, setting goals, requiring
additional training, etc.
Teaching Sportsmanship (cont.)
•Thank the officials - Find a few moments to compliment the officials for their
hard work after a game (especially if your child's team loses) you will be
rewarded with the pleasure of seeing a surprised smile in return.
•Keep soccer in its proper perspective: Soccer should not be larger than life for
you. If your child's performance produces strong emotions in you, suppress
them. Remember your relationship will continue with your children long after
their youth soccer days are over. Keep your goals and needs separate from your
child's experience.
•Have fun: That is what the children are trying to do!
“One reason kids love video games so much is that they can each pick their own level of challenge.”
Lenny Wiersma, Center for the Advancement of Responsible Youth Sports
Game Day
Sideline Behavior
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Children want cheerleaders to applaud their success, not adults yelling
instructions. Think of the soccer field as a playground and not as a sports
venue.
What’s appropriate at a sport stadium with adult athletes is NOT appropriate
for young children at play.
Focus on the process of playing and not the outcome.
“When watching a youth sports game, if you can’t carry on a normal conversation with the person
next to you then you’re probably paying too much attention to the game.”
Bigelow, Moroney, & Hall, 2001
Friends NOT Enemies
Sideline Behavior
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•
Unlike the adult games, kids playing soccer do not see the other team as the
enemy. The other team is full of their friends – friends from their school, their
place of worship, their neighborhood. They are likely to be playing together in
your backyard or in your den after the game.
Cheer ANY and ALL success on the field. It DOES NOT matter what player OR
team. They are all kids and they want you there to see them play.
“A good way to determine whether the sideline comments are helpful and supportive is to ask the
children what they prefer to hear on the sideline, if anything.”
Developing Decision Makers
Kids Don’t Care Who Wins
“Asked what embarrasses them most, every single child surveyed listed parents
hollering plays or instructions from the sideline or stands.” - Mom’s Team.com
Sideline Behavior
• Don’t keep score, the kids don’t regard it as that important.
• Don’t care who wins or loses, they are having fun and that is the objective NOT
winning or losing.
Note: Winning can become more important as the child develops; for that
reason, administrators seek to form balanced teams to create equal
opportunities to win and lose.
“Youth sports provide an ideal avenue for early exposure to setback and allows supportive adults to offer
guidance with the stakes not nearly as high as they will be sometimes later on in life.”
Abrams
What is FUN for them is more important than what is FUN for you!
The Ride Home
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Never reward what you perceive as success
Never punish what you perceive as failure
Don’t evaluate your child’s performance, he or she is playing to have fun, not
to earn a grade! If he/she had fun, the day was a success
Meet your child’s Needs remember the questions you asked and the answers
you got as to why your child is playing soccer
“The youngsters are a captive audience in the back seat on the way home, but they deserve to ride in
peace without being unwilling victims of their parents’ “station wagon syndrome.”
Abrams, 2002
Good Questions on the Way Home
“Parents need to understand that the period following practice and competition
is a crucial time for a young athlete. It’s important she be given the freedom to
process it on her own.” - Silby, 2000
•
•
•
Did you have fun today?
What did you think you did well today?
Did you learn any new moves?
If you are greeted with the sound of silence, give off the gentle sounds of
approval, be sure he/she knows you there for him/her.
“If parents receive one-word answers or silence, they can be sure
that their child feels trapped with no way out.”
Silby, 2000
Dealing with the Coach
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•
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Let the coach - coach
Ask the coaching philosophy, team rules and guidelines
When to ask questions - Don't ask questions during a game or in front of a
small group that you wouldn't want asked of you.
Ask the coach how you can help, during practice and games – Get involved.
Be supportive - Always role model positive behavior, support the program.
“What often happens in the parent-coach relationship is that the parents become critical of the “poor
job” the coach is doing. They complain to their spouses and other parents, often in front of their
children. This serves to undermine what authority and “expert” knowledge the coach may have had in
the beginning. This results in greater challenges for the coach. In such a case, those engaging in
vociferous complaints are contributors to the problems challenging the coach.”
Aicinena, 27
Conflicting Agendas
Why are the children playing?
– to have fun
– friends are playing
– mom said so
– time away from mom and dad
– get player in shape
Why is
–
–
–
If your child were truly one of the best players, how
would the coach benefit by not playing him/her?
Aicinena, 124
the coach, coaching?
their child is playing
wants to be in charge
wants to show the players all the skills they have learned over
their career
– because they enjoy and have fun with the kids
– to give back to the game
What about Referees?
Everyone sees the play differently.
•
•
•
•
The main goal of the referee is to make the game safe and fun for
the children.
Being a referee is not as easy as it appears. They are a another coach on the
field for small sided games.
Remember, many referees are brothers and sisters of soccer players or soccer
players themselves. Others are fellow parents trying to just help youth soccer
players have FUN!
Recognize that the referee is doing his/her best. It may not be what you saw,
but the goal is to let the game be played so that children can have FUN!.
Let the Referee Call the Game
Referees deserve respect and support too!
•
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•
Helping the referee to call the trip or a foul only confuses children.
Disagreeing hurts you child's respect for the referee, and may hurt the view
of the referee towards your child's team.
Criticism causes referees to quit rather than become better. Many referees
quit due to being yelled at by parents.
As you cheer for the players, cheer for the referees too.
“Parents and coaches need to remember that if officials can hear profanity and other verbal abuse
directed at them when a call goes against the team, the children on the field can also hear it.”
Abrams, 2002
Resources & Credits
“The Challenges Facing Parents and Coaches in
Youth Sports: Assuring Children Fun and Equal
Opportunity”, Douglas E. Abrams, Villanova Sports
and Entertainment Law Journal
US Youth Soccer Coaching Committee
“Through the Eyes of Parents, Children, and a
Coach: A Fourteen-Year Participant-Observer
Investigation of Youth Soccer”, Steven Aicinena
US Youth Soccer Coaching Education Department
“Games Girls Play”, Caroline Silby
US Youth Soccer Parent Education Task Force
“Sports Done Right” TM - The Maine Center for Sport
and Coaching
www.mcsc.umaine.edu/sportsdoneright
Kentucky Youth Soccer Parent Education Program
“Developing Decision Makers”, Dr. Lynn Kidman,
www.ipcltd.com
“Teaching Character through Sport: Developing a
Positive Coaching Legacy” by Bruce Brown
“A Guide for Parents” – Florida Youth Soccer
“Parent Booklet” - The Australian Sports
Commission
“The Cheers and Tears”, Shane Murphy, PhD.
Thank you for taking the time to read The Parent’s Guide
An Introduction to Youth Soccer. The guide is designed to provide a tool to
assist parents new to the game of soccer to grow the spirit without limiting
the child.
Please click the link below and you will be directed to
www.USYouthSoccer.org where you can take a short quiz on these materials.
At the successful completion of the quiz, you will be able to print a
personalized Certificate of Completion.
Please click the link below to take the Parent’s Guide:
Introduction to Youth Soccer Quiz
The spirit of a child knows no bounds until limited by adults.
To promote the growth of the game in the United States by properly preparing those
new to the game to encourage the young child to develop a love for the game is the
mission of the coaching committee and the coaching education department.